The way in which a vehicle fitted with passenger vehicle tires behaves is dependent on a whole host of parameters, both related to the vehicle and related to the tire-wheel assemblies. Some of these parameters include the offset of the wheels with respect to the vehicle. By changing this offset it is possible to have a significant influence on how the vehicle behaves and on the feedback the driver experiences. It is possible to change the offset by changing the wheel design or by using spacers positioned between the wheel and the hub.
When a tire is developed for a given vehicle, changing the wheel design or using spacers is not always conceivable. This is because, as a rule, tires of different design or brands may be mounted on the vehicle and the wheel offset required in order to achieve the desired behaviour may differ according to the tire design or brand.
One solution to this problem has been put forward in patent application WO 2012/065939. There, the lateral shift is obtained using asymmetric beads.